France 1589-H 1/4 ecu
This specimen was lot 1427 in Jean Elsen sale 136 (Brussels, March 2018), where it did not sell. The catalog description[1] noted,
"FRANCE, Royaume, Henri III (1574-1589), AR quart d'écu, 1589H, La Rochelle. D/ Croix fleurdelisée. R/ Ecu de France couronné, entre II-II. Très Beau. (kingdom of France, Henry III, 1574-89, quarter écu of 1589, La Rochelle mint. Obverse: floriate cross; reverse: crowned arms of France divide "II - II". Very fine.)"
This specimen was struck by the hammer during the reign of Henry III, last king of the Valois dynasty (1328-1589). It is a product of the La Rochelle mint (mintmark "H"). This was the largest silver coin regularly struck in France prior to the introduction of milled coinage in the 1640's.
Recorded mintage: 122,822 (including a few 1/8 écus).
Specification: 9.71 g, 0.917 fine silver, this specimen 9,58 g.
Catalog reference: Sb-4662, Dupl-1133; Ci. 1438; Laf. 973.
- Duplessy, Jean, Les Monnaies Françaises Royales de Hugues Capet à Louis XVI (987-1793), Tome II, 2e édition, Paris: Maison Platt, 1999.
- Roberts, James N., The Silver Coins of Medieval France (476-1610 AD), S. Salem, NY: Attic Books, 1996.
- Sombart, Stéphan, Franciae IV: Catalogue des Monnaies Royales Françaises de François Ier à Henri IV (1540-1610), Paris: Éditions les Chevau-légers, 1997.
- [1]Elsen, Philippe, et al., Vente Publique 136: Collection Martiny, Collection Nef, Collection Casterman, Brussels: Jean Elsen et ses Fils, S.A., 2018.
Link to: